This photo was sent to me in April of 2000 by cousin Jane Lemmons (1937-2002). She called it, “James McCan and Sarah Viser.” Apparently, this is the way it had been identified by whoever sent it to Jane. As my cousins all know, our James McCan is thought to have been born about 1800. He is also said to have died, along with his wife Sarah, in Mississippi in the late 1830s, leaving his five children orphaned and subsequently reared by their (assumed) Uncle William Viser.This image is a photo of a large framed portrait of a couple. If you will examine it, you will see that the person taking the photo is reflected in the glass of the framed portrait. The photographer’s dark v-neckline is reflected in the area of the man’s upper torso.
We have new evidence that James McCan and Sarah Viser died in Panola County, Mississippi between 1837 and 1839, so it is apparent that the couple could not be our ancestors, James and Sarah.
There is a possibility that this man could be Andrew Viser McCan (1832-1915) with his second wife, Eudora Ryan (1843-bef.1910). None of his descendants have a photo of him, as far as we know.
Enhanced Image of McCan(n) Photo
Could it be Andrew V. McCan and Eudora?
Our James McCan (ca. 1800 - ca. 1838) is known to have been in Lawrence County, Alabama, in the early to mid- 1830s; there he received a patent for forty acres of land in what was Lawrence and is now Colbert County not far from John L. and Polly Viser. Peter Viser also claimed land in this vicinity.
Federal Land Patent, Lawrence County, Alabama, issued to James McCan
Note that Andrew Jackson was the president of the U. S.
James married Sarah S. Viser in Lawrence County in 1828. They had five children, at least the first four being born in Lawrence County. From Lawrence County they moved to Panola County, Mississippi, where they were enumerated in the 1837 Mississippi Territorial Census. Two of their children stated that they were orphaned as children, and we think they died prior to 1839.Also living in Panola County at the same time was William Viser (1793-1866). He was elected as the first Justice of the Peace in his judicial district and was mentioned in the history of the county formation in 1836. His family was also enumerated in the Panola County Territorial Census.
In addition, Elizabeth Viser (ca 1819-ca 1861) and her husband James A. Jones (ca 1815-March 1839) lived in the county, as did A. F. Viser (ca. 1815-aft. 1850).
The parents of Sarah S. Viser McCan are still unproven. We think, but have no proof, that William Viser was a half-brother of Sarah S. Viser McCan. After James and Sarah died between 1837 and 1839, William Viser brought the five MCan children with him and his family when he immigrated to Montgomery County, Texas (to the area of Huntsville, now in Walker) arriving in December, 1839. William and his wife, Rachel Brazelton Viser, raised the younger McCan children until they were grown.
I hope you will share your photos of your McCan/n ancestors. I will post them here.
Following are photos of two of the three known sons of James McCan and a photo of one of the daughters.:
John L. McCan, 1828-1905, oldest son of James McCan
James Marion McCan, 1834-1915
My Great-grandfather
Missing--Photo of Andrew V. McCan, 1832-1915
Catherine Elizabeth McCan Wooldridge, 1830-1928
Original in collection of Patricia Whitlock
Missing--Photo of Mary R. McCan Karber, 1836-1876
In comparing the facial features of the photos we have of three of the children of James McCan, we can certainly see similarities. Surely, the most identifiable feature is the sad eyes, with one droopy eye. All of these four faces are strikingly similar in that regard. The prominent ears on the men and the wide foreheads and broad faces on all four are also similar.
Next, I will post several photos of grandchildren of James McCan b. ca. 1800. If you have any images to contribute, please e-mail them to me.The first five photos are the children of John L. McCan.
Mary Catherine (Molly) McCan, 1852-1902<>James William McCan, 1854-1922
Sarah Helen McCan, 1856-1895<><>Alice E. McCan, 1858-1935
Nancy Olive McCan, 1860-1942
The following are children of Katherine Elizabeth McCan Wooldridge.
Edmond Daniel Thomas Wooldridge, 1854-1926<>John Houston Dunbar Wooldridge, 1856-1916
Minnie Moss Wooldridge, 1861-1867<><>Maude E. Wooldridge, 1868-1944
These are the only photos I have of children of Andrew V. McCan. The first three are from the collection of Loretta Joslin. The last one, Mary Catherine, was sent by Elray Lindy Pickens Anderson.
Sarah Josephine McCan Nicholson, 1855-?<><>George Washington McCan, 1863-1957
William Reeves McCan, 1873-?<><>Mary Catherine (May) McCan Pickens, 1878-1946 If you have any photos of the children of Andrew V. McCan, please e-mail them to me.
The following are children of James Marion McCan. (Thanks to Robert Fannin for the beautiful photo of Kenneth Nathan McCan.)
James Littleton McCan 1870-1923<><>Samuel Wooldridge McCan 1875-1962
Hulda McCan Winborn, 1872-1966<><>Kenneth Nathan McCan, 1877-1899
Allie Angelina McCan Golden, 1881-1972
John V. Reuben McCan 1886-1965<><>Benjamin Monroe McCan 1889-1949
William Walter (Walter) McCan, 1886-1967<><>Hettie M. McCan Hale (1892-1918)
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